


Anthony and the Firebird Armor

by adarksweetness



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fairy Tale Retellings, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Princess Vasilissa and the Firebird, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, many tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 09:06:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13737606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adarksweetness/pseuds/adarksweetness
Summary: One day, two friends stumbled upon a golden mask half buried in the dirt.“Leave it, Steve,” Sam advised. “I sense misfortune if we take it with us.”





	Anthony and the Firebird Armor

**Author's Note:**

> First fairytale bingo entry, I confess idk what I'm doing. This was a strange story, but I tried to grasp at a couple elements I thought fit with Steve and Tony.

In a kingdom far away, there lived a king who was obsessed with power and would do anything to obtain it. The king had a squire, who was small and sickly, but always strove to be good. The good squire had a dear friend with whom he would spend time hunting or training. One day, the two friends were walking upon a path in the woods when they stumbled upon a mask half buried in the dirt. 

The mask shone bright gold in the sun and it was warm to the touch when Steve picked it up. Overhead, the trees rustled as a breeze passed through the leaves, and the squire’s friend shivered.

“Leave it, Steve,” Sam advised. “I sense misfortune if we take it with us.”   
  
“But look at it,” Steve said breathlessly. “If we take this to the king and find favor with him, will it not benefit our families?“   
  
Truth was that Steve was utterly taken with the perfect craftsmanship of the golden mask. Looking at it, he did not share Sam’s unease, but felt a great longing for its creator. When he took it back to the castle and presented it to King Schmidt, the power-hungry king felt the same. But the king was not good like Steve, and he had different plans.  

  
“Since you were able to fetch this mask, you must find the armor it belongs to,” he said. “Bring it to me and I shall reward your village. Otherwise, all of Brooklyn will be razed.”   
  
Steve heard the king and was consumed with dread. He wept bitterly, feeling betrayed, but Sam stood by him. “I told you not to take the mask,” he said. “But do not give way to fear, Steve, or the worst will be yet to come. I shall help you fulfill your task.” 

-

That night, they returned to the woods, and Steve did as Sam instructed. He hid himself behind a tree with a length of rope and watched Sam climb up the tree. Within the hour, the wind kicked up and the evening mists parted to reveal a knight, clad in a suit of armor painted in the colors of the sun. Amazed, Steve saw that the knight’s boots did not touch the ground, but hovered upon blue light pouring from the soles of its shoes and palms.   

From the branches above, Sam whistled and a flock of birds emerged from their nooks to surround the knight. One by one, they herded the knight off the path until it stumbled into a nearby pond and went under with a splash. Steve heard a series of crackling noises right after.   

“It’s dead weight now,” Sam said. “You can take it without trouble.” 

Up close, the armor turned out to be empty of knights, but it was incredibly beautiful. As Steve secured the ropes, he marveled at intricate patterns of gold on the red sheath, gorgeous and intricate like the wings of a firebird. 

When he took it back to the castle, the king laughed with glee to receive the firebird armor. He duly dispensed the reward he promised Steve, then immediately set another task. “Since you were clever enough to fetch the armor, you must find it’s creator, Anthony, who dwells at the edge of the kingdom in a mansion of golden light. I must have him, and only him, to furnish my armies with weapons.” 

Steve’s heart grew cold. 

"Do this, and your village shall be rewarded,” Schmidt said, with a terrible grin. “Otherwise, all of Brooklyn shall be razed.” 

Surrender once, Steve realized, and they will never let you stop. 

-

Though Steve would not ask him to risk the journey to the edge of the kingdom, Sam still offered his help. He advised Steve to ask the king for a strong horse, two bottles of Asgardian wine, and a special gift from the forges. Taking these, Steve journeyed to the edge of the kingdom where the creator of the marvelous armor lived. 

Anthony’s mansion at the edge of the kingdom was not made of gold, but of brick and stone like all others. However, it shone bright as day even in the night. It was well known among the local populace that Anthony helped all who came to him in need, and it was no different when Steve stumbled up to the mansion with his paltry belongings and begged him for shelter for the night. 

Anthony immediately let him into his house of wonders. Steve noticed all manner of curiosities crowding the rooms— ever-moving sculptures, half-formed constructions, mechanical creatures that moved by themselves, and those powered by blue light, very much like the armor.   

When Steve was bathed and well-fed, he could not help but notice Anthony was as good looking as he was clever. He had warm brown eyes, and sported a well-trimmed beard. His arms were muscular from working the forge, and his hands, which must have shaped the golden faceplate Steve found all those days ago, moved fast and gracefully as he spoke of his work. Anthony, Steve learned, was an inventor. 

Fascinated, he listened to descriptions of irrigations systems, durable types of bridges, and lamps that collected the power of the sun in the day to illuminate his house at night.   

When they settled before the fireplace, Steve produced his bottles of Asgardian wine and offered Anthony a taste of the vintage. They broke the seal together and sighed at its fresh, crisp taste and faint echoes of Asgard’s sunny orchards. Steve remained careful not to partake of too much, but Anthony’s smile was intoxicating him nevertheless. Anthony himself did not have any reservations; he let Steve fill his glass over and over again, as he listened to stories of Brooklyn and Steve’s friends. He did not travel much toward the capital, Anthony admitted, because his mansion had all he needed.     

Well, almost.   

“You’re so beautiful,” Anthony said, his thumb ghosting across Steve’s cheek. “Why do you look so sad?” 

Throat tight, Steve watched his brown eyes struggle to remain open, then finally close in deep slumber. When he pulled them from his bag, the adamantium chains he bought alongside the wine glinted silver and cold in the hearthlight. 

-

By dawn, the story shifted. Eyes red from too little sleep and too many tears, Steve let the chains hang limply from his fingers as he waited for Anthony to wake.   

“I won’t take you to the king,” he said miserably. "This began with a bit of armor, but damned if I will traffic in human life.” 

Anthony, who came to from a dark and dreamless sleep, was surprised to find himself still at home. He noted how wretched his guest looked. Steve was hardly of age, small and emaciated, yet a better man than most if he had the creator of the firebird armor at his mercy and did nothing.  

“If you do not take me to your king,” Anthony pointed out. "your family will be forfeit. I know Schmidt’s ways.” 

“That is my battle to fight,” Steve replied. “You, who captures the sun to shine at night, you do not deserve to create things that kill for Schmidt.” 

However, Anthony would not hear of it. He spoke to Steve affectionately, saying, “Your courage is one of a kind, Steve, and the hours you have spent in my company have filled me with love for you. So, take me to your king. I will secure your freedom.” 

Despite Steven’s protestations, Anthony proved to be equally stubborn and won his way. Soon, they set off for King Schmidt’s castle.   

When they arrived, King Schmidt looked greedily upon Anthony and bade him to create terrifying weapons for all his troops. However, Anthony was not a compliant guest; he was sarcastic and irritable, and prone to fits of rage that only seemed to ebb as long as Schmidt provided him with a personal forge, a laboratory of his own, and many articles of science. At a particularly loud and explosive request, Schmidt even pressed Steve into his service.   

Steve spent his days in the lab doing as instructed—buying metals and powders and drawing up arcane blueprints— and his nights were spent in Anthony’s bed. They made love as concoctions bubbled away and the forge crackled in the distance. Steve could not tell what was in the works, and Anthony kissed and caressed him to distraction each time he thought about asking. 

"The lord is getting impatient,” Steve said weeks later, as they lay wrapped around each other. Anthony’s larger limbs smothered him in customary warmth and affection, but Steve was tight with worry. “Something will happen, I can feel it.” 

“I do not need much more time, love,” Anthony murmured. "Rest assured, I have not forgotten my promise. You shall have freedom and much more.” 

“This began with me wanting the king’s favor. I no longer care for more things,” Steve kissed Anthony’s arm wound about his neck. “I only want to protect those I love.” 

Anthony pressed a kiss to his ear. “Then, that is what you shall have.” 

“Tony…” 

“Trust me,” Anthony insisted. He pressed his forehead to Steve’s, breath hot on his lips. “Trust me." 

-

A Steve predicted, Schmidt bade Anthony come before the throne less than a fortnight later. 

“I have allowed you time and resources aplenty,” he declared. “I demand you show me what you have done with it. Otherwise, I shall either assume you are not the inventor you claim to be, or that Steve has brought me the wrong person. In both cases, you have tricked me and shall pay the price.” 

“How could you expect me to succeed when you have given me inferior goods?” Anthony demanded. "If you wish for miracles, then I at least require a rarity.” 

And so, Anthony demanded vibranium, for only the rarest and strongest metal in the world could withstand his inventions. None other would give Schmidt the army and the power he sought. 

“Where do you expect to get vibranium?” Schmidt asked. 

“The kingdom of Wakanda possesses a store of it so large that its people sew it into their clothes and build it into their homes,” Anthony said. 

“Wakanda remains opposed to our vision for the world and does not trade with us,” Schmidt growled in frustration. He eyed those present and grinned upon spotting Steve. 

“Since you were able to fetch Anthony from his mansion, you must acquire vibranium from the Golden City,” he said. "Do this, and your village shall be rewarded. Otherwise, all of Brooklyn shall be razed.” 

Unable to tolerate anymore, Steve refused, saying, “No, I won’t steal from a peaceful nation to power your machines of war.” 

Anthony laughed. “Those who stand before progress in favor of peace deserve neither,” he said to Schmidt. From his pocket, he produced a vial of something wicked and blue. “Let him drink poison and prove you do not tolerate this sort of weakness!” 

Schmidt agreed and summoned his soldiers. Steven felt his heart break, but he did not falter. His own life meant nothing in the face of doing what was right, yet, even as the king’s soldiers forced him to his knees and held his jaw open, Steven sought Anthony’s eyes for the last time. They were not as pitiless as they were moments ago; Anthony still looked upon him with sadness and love. He tipped the vial into Steven’s mouth, saying without speaking,  _trust me_. 

The poison was terrible, and Steve felt it burn through his whole body and bones until darkness consumed him. But behold, when he came to, he found that he had grown larger, and that great strength suffused his limbs. He could see and hear better than he ever had.

“What magic is this?” Schmidt demanded. “If this poison can so transform the weak little squire, then I too shall consume it.” Thus, he partook of the blue vial, but that which magnified a good man like Steve, corrupted the king until he was consumed by his own wickedness. Schmidt died at once, his body becoming red and withered like an old corpse. 

-

In the end, a new era dawned upon the kingdom. Steve got what he wanted: the safety of his village and the capacity to protect all he loved. He used his newfound power to root out the remnants of Schmidt’s network in the kingdom, and rebuild bridges to other nations. Anthony took back the armor stolen from him, and returned to his mansion of wonders, but not for long. 

Eventually, he and Steve made a home for themselves by each other’s side, and the kingdom flourished under the just Captain and the clever knight whose armor shone like the feathers of a firebird.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
